Foul-prone Shaq attacks: Refs are 'ridiculous'

By Wire services
Published April 4, 2006

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Shaquille O'Neal didn't mince words about the five personal fouls he got in Miami's loss to the New Jersey Nets, taking aim at referees and NBA senior vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson .

"That was the most ridiculous game I've ever been part of," he said Sunday after the 90-78 loss. "When you got a guy like Stu Jackson at the top, it shows why referees are the way they are. It starts at the top.

"There was a lot of flopping today and they just fell for it. They make these rules up and they don't follow them. We all know there's a double standard. I just wish they wouldn't make it so obvious."

O'Neal picked up two offensive fouls in the first half, one for elbowing New Jersey's Jason Collins in the jaw in the lane. He picked up three more fouls in the third quarter when the Nets outscored Miami 32-19, including two fouls in a span of 11 seconds.

SUPERSONICS: Seattle forward Rashard Lewis pleaded guilty to reckless driving and was given a one-year suspended sentence five months after he failed sobriety and breath tests during a stop on I-90.

PISTONS: Rasheed Wallace was given an automatic one-game suspension after receiving his 16th technical foul of the season.

TENNIS

Raves for replay

KEY BISCAYNE - The big winners at the Nasdaq-100 Open were Svetlana Kuznetsova and Roger Federer and instant replay.

Fans clamored for it, and many players raved about it. The pro tours employed video reviews for the first time, and there's little doubt its use will be expanded.

Disputed calls on the stadium court were subject to video review, with replays shown promptly on the scoreboard screen.

Overall, only 53 of 161 challenged rulings (33 percent) were reversed. In women's matches, 21 of 77 calls were reversed (27 percent), while the men were 32-for-84 (38 percent).

FRENCH OPEN: The event will offer equal prize money - $1.3-million - to the men's and women's champions.